Combination mattress



July 9, 1963 O. THOMPSON 3,096,529

COMBINATION MATTRESS Filed June 20, 1961 FIG. l l2 lo/ 14) L3 FIG. 2

INVENTOR ORVILLE THOMPSON NJW Y ATTORNEY United N States Patent Otce 3,096,529 Patented July 9, 1963 3,096,529 COMBINATION MATTRESS Orville Thompson, 3012 Ridenbuagh St., Boise, Idaho Filed June 20, 1961, Ser. No. 118,369

4 Claims. (Cl. 5-345) This invention relates to mattresses and, more particularly, to mattresses which are especially useful in hospitals 4and the like, the broad object of the present inven-l tion being to provide an improved mattress which is especially, though not exclusively, adapted to serve as a stretcher for the transport of incapacitated patients in hospitals `and the like in the event that it is necessary to move the patients, particularly in an emergency.

Heretofore, in lthe event of fire or other emergency in a hospital or the like, it has been necessary to provide a stretcher and stretcher-bearers to move each patient in the hopsital who is unable -to move himself from the area of danger. INot only has it been dangerously timeconsuming to transfer each patient from his bed to the stretcher but also, in many instances, it is dangerous because of the patients condition to move him from his bed to the stretcher, and those responsible for both moving the patient and carrying the stretcher must be persons of considerable strength. An object of the present invention is to provide a mattress for use in hospitals and the like which may also serve as a stretcher whereon a patient may be moved to a place of safety with a minimum of danger and discomfort.

Where patients have been required to be moved in an emergency on separate stretchers, after the patient has arrived -at the place of safety there heretofore has usually been no place which could comfortably receive the patient so that the stretcher could be reused for evacuating additional patients. It isan object of the present invention to eliminate this particular problem by constructing and arranging hospital bed mattresses so that not only can they be employed for the actual transport of patients to safety, but upon arrival `at the place of safety, the mattresses and the bed clothing thereof thereafter continue to serve as a comfortable temporary repository foreach incapacitated patient evacuated on the mattress.

' Yet another `object fof the invention is to so construct a mattress that it can serve in time of emergency as a stretcher with the )arrangement being such that the parts thereof which serve for transport of the mattress do not in any way interfere with the ability of parts of the mattress to be raised or cranked to an elevated position when used on a conventional hospital bed.

Yet ,another object of the invention is to provide a mattress construction which accomplishes the foregoing objects yet is so constructed and arranged that in a dire emergency a single nurse would be capable of dragging the mattress withgan average-size patient thereon to a place of safety.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to providea mattress which accomplishes all of the foref going objects by the provision of aweb-like structure which is built intothe interior of the mattress with parts of said structure comprising handles extending externally beyond the ends `of the mattress for grasping by one or more carriers, the Web-like structure not only serving to support the mattress land patient but also serving in extreme emergencies as a means enabling the mattress to be employed similarly to a safety net normally used by iiremen for breaking falls of persons forced to jump from upper windows.

Other objects and their attendant ladvantages will b'ecome apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is :a horizontal cross-sectional View of -a mattress constructed in accordance with the present invention;

lFlG. 2 is -a partial perspective View showing a corner of the mattress of FIG. l;

FIG. `3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevation showing the mattress of the present invention having parts thereof cranked to elevated position on a conventional hospital bed.

Referring now to the drawing, the basic mattress 10 may be of conventional inner-spring construction having the usual padded sides =12, 14, ends 16, 18, Aand top and bottom 20, 22 containing a plurality of separately encased spring elements 24 which are joined with the mattress top, bottom and sides in an entirely conventional manner for-ming no part of the present invention and therefore not shown or described in detail. The present invention is not limited to use with innerspring mattresses but has equal applicability to mattresses of the fully padded and tufted variety but because a major portion 0f modern `day mattresses are `of the inner-spring variety, the present invention will be described in connection with the latter type.

` LIn accordance with the invention `and with particular reference to FIG. 1, the means whereby the mattress may be utilized as a stretcher comprises a pair of laterally spaced, flexible `elements 26 and 28, eac-l1 of which has respectively two laterally spaced parts 30, 312 and 34, 36 which extend the length lof the mattress in a horizontal plane through the center of the mattress and near to the respective mattress sides 12, 14, Ias shown. Desirably, the elements 26, 28 are constructed of woven nylon cord having a diameter of approximately three-eighths of an inch and a test of strength of 20G()` pounds. The opposite yends 'of the parts 30', 32 and 34, 36 of the respective elements 26, 28 extend outwardly beyond the ends of the mattress through suitable grommets 38, 40, :as shown in FIG. 2, and are integrally joined together by end parts 42, 44 and y46, 48 which form handles extending beyond the ends of the mattress for ready grasping by a person desiring to transport the mattress. v

v Desirably, a mattress with a patient disposed thereon is best handled by four individuals, each grasping one of the respective handles. To insure that the mattress does not unduly sag because of the concentration of the patients weight in the center of the mattress, in accordance with the present invention webbing is atforded by flexible cross members which may be composed of a continuous smaller cord Sil of, say, one-eighth inch woven nylon, whose one end S2 is connected by a suitable knot S4 to one of the outermost parts, say part 3d' of element 26, with the cord 50 extending therefrom in a substantially straight line parallel to the mattress end and interposed between adjacent rows of encased springs 24, as shown in FIG. 1.

Wherethe cord 50 intersects a part of the elements 26, 2S Y it is wrapped around that part by a loop 56 as illustrated in FIG. 3 and after the cord has been passed in a loop around the outermost part of the second element, in this instance part 36 of element 23, the cord 5t]l is then threaded in a generally diagonal direction back across the mattress, again, in each instance, where it intersects the parts of the longitudinally extending elements 26, 2S the cord 50 is passed in a single loop around each of the parts.

In order that the cord in its generally diagonal course will not interfere with the encased springs 24, the cord S0 may be threaded between the springs in any convenient Zig-Zag fashion, the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 being representative only. After the cord 50 has completed the generally diagonal course it is passed in a loop about the first mentioned part 30 of the element 26 and again D returned in a straight path between the spring casing. This straight and diagonal reaving of the cord 50 continues for the length of the mattress with the second end 58 of the cord being tied by a suitable knot to the outermost part 36 of the element 28.

Where the handle parts 42, 44 and 46, 48 of the respective elements 25, 28 extend beyond the mattress ends the end of the mattress is provided with suitable reinforcing material 69 sewed or otherwise attached to the mattress and the handle part extends sufficiently far beyond the mattress end that when the mattress is folded or cranked to an elevated position on a hospital bed 62, as shown in FIG. 4, the handle parts afford ample slack in the elements Z6, 28 so that these conform to the elevated shape ofthe mattress without being placed under tension, which would naturally result if the elements were only exactly as long as the mattress in its liattened condition. The somewhat loose lacing afforded by the loop connections of the cord 50 with the elements 26, Ztl insures that there will be no binding or bunching because of the inability of the longitudinally extending elements 26, 28 to move slightly relative to the cord Stil when the mattress is cranked to an elevated position during normal use.

In use and in the absence of an emergency, the handles 42, 44 and 46, 48 serve merely the function of handles normally found on mattresses in that they serve as an aid in reversing mattresses and in moving the mattresses from one place to another. However, should an emergency arise and it be necessary to evacuate an incapacitated patient lying on the mattress, if suicient personnel are available, four individuals each grasp a handle and the mattress with the patient thereon is lifted from the bed and is immediately carried by the four individuals to a place of safety. While enroute, the patients weight is substantially evenly distributed to the elements 26, 28 by the cord Stb which also serves to prevent the mattress from sagging excessively because of the 4inability of the cord 50 to stretch sufficiently to conform to an excessive curvature which might result from the sagging of the mattress if the cord 50 were not provided. The natural bulk of the springs and ller prevent the elements 26, 28 from moving towards each other under the weight of the patient, as would occur in the case of a free webbing arranged similar to a hammock which is not provided with the usual end stretchers.

In the event the emergency is so acute that sufficient personnel are not available to carry out all of the mattresses as above described, a single nurse can, by grasping only one of the handles pull the mattress from the bed, with the patient thereon if this is necessary, and she could thereatfer by dragging on a handle slide the mattress and the patient cross the floor and ultimately to a place of safety.

The web-like structure afforded by the present invention has an additional advantage in that, if necessary, a patient may be strapped or tied by sheeting, for example, to the mattress and the mattress with the patient thereon could be rnaneuvered down quite steep inclines as, for example, down an exterior tire escape. For such use, the handles might be used as anchoring points for the sheeting. In addition to this feature, the mattress may, under exceptional circumstances, be employed as a safety net wherein rescuers would hold the handles at each corner with the expectation that the natural resiliency of the nylon webbing afforded by the invention coupled with the resiliency of the springs would be sufiicient to break the fall of a person forced -to jump on to the mattress from a reasonable height.

It should be apparent from the foregoing description that the present invention is susceptible of being incorporated into conventional hospital mattresses with very slight extra expense and with substantially no significant change in the regular mattress construction. It will be further apparent that not only does the invention afford a significant safety feature but it does so without in any way interfering with the normal use of a mattress. It will, of course, be understood that the invention is by no means limited to use in connection with hospital mattresses but it can be incorporated in mattresses for home use with the handles merely serving a normal function as a means for reversing the mattress and the like but with the additional feature, at substantially no additional expense, of permitting the mattress to be used as a stretcher in the home where stretchers are seldom provided but may be desirable for any of a variety of reasons as, for example, in connection with civil defense.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible of a wide variety of changes and modifications without, however, departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination with a mattress having four sides, a top and a bottom and resilient means filling said mattress, a pair of flexible elements lying substantially in a horizontal plane parallel to and intermediate the top and bottom of said mattress, said elements being respectively substantially adjacent and extending parallel to opposed sides of said mattress, each of said elements having two closely adjacent parallel parts Whose opposite ends ex tend outwardly through and beyond the sides of said mattress transverse to the rst mentioned opposed sides, a handle part connecting the extending ends of the closely adjacent parts of each of said elements, and flexible cross members interconnecting all of said parts so as to form with said elements a flexible web-like structure within said mattress.

2. The combination of claim l wherein said flexible cross members comprise a continuous flexible element extending back and forth across the parts of said lirst mentioned flexible elements from `one transverse side to the opposite transverse side of said mattress, and means loosely connecting said continuous flexible element with the respective parts of said first mentioned flexible elements at each point of intersection therewith by said continuous flexible element.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said connecting means at said points of intersection comprise loops in said continuous flexible element about the parts of said first mentioned tiexible elements.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said flexible elements comprise cord means.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,104,921 Bank Jan. l1, 1938 2,649,899 Williams Aug. 25, 1953 2,703,412 Stone Mar. 8, 1955 3,027,967 Silver Apr. 3, 1962 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A MATTRESS HAVING FOUR SIDES, A TOP AND A BOTTOM AND RESILIENT MEANS FILLING SAID MATTRESS, A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE ELEMENTS LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE PARALLEL TO AND INTERMEDIATE THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF SAID MATTRESS, SAID ELEMENTS BEING RESPECTIVELY SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT AND EXTENDING PARALLEL TO OPPOSED SIDES OF SAID MATTRESS, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING TWO CLOSELY ADJACENT PARALLEL PARTS WHOSE OPPOSITE ENDS EXTEND OUTWARDLY THROUGH AND BEYOND THE SIDES OF SAID MATTRESS TRANSVERSE TO THE FIRST MENTIONED OPPOSED SIDES, A HANDLE PART CONNECTING THE EXTENDING ENDS OF THE CLOSELY ADJACENT PARTS OF EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS, AND FLEXIBLE CROSS MEMBERS INTERCONNECTING ALL OF SAID PARTS SO AS TO FORM WITH SAID ELEMENTS A FLEXIBLE WEB-LIKE STRUCTURE WITHIN SAID MATTRESS. 